The youngest of the three Ball brothers, LaMelo Ball, now has the chance to one-up Lonzo Ball, with the potential to wind up as the No. 1 overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft, one spot higher than Lonzo was drafted in 2017. The New Orleans Pelicans guard has shared some words of wisdom with his little brother, as he has learned a thing or two after his first two seasons in the league.
Lonzo came into the league with a hype train conducted by his own father, LaVar, as well as the introduction of his own brand, Big Baller Brand, which now faces bankruptcy after two years on the market. The eldest Ball brother is hoping his little bro can focus on building his own brand, rather than fulfilling the hopes of his father:
Article Continues Below“He gets to go through the real, actual process,” Lonzo told ESPN's Andrew Lopez. “When I was coming out, we were just working on my shoe, Big Baller Brand, that's just what it was. I didn't take any meetings. It was already kind of set for me.
“But I tell him all the time, this is going to be your decision. Go talk to Adidas. Go talk to Nike. Go talk to Puma. Go talk to everybody. Take every meeting. Whoever wants you the most, go with them. I told him, make sure you take control of your career now. Don't wait like I did. Hopefully that helps him. He seems like he's taking it all in. I'm excited for him.”
LaMelo has skyrocketed up mock draft boards, going from a late first-round prospect to No. 3 in the latest iteration after a showdown in the recent NBL Blitz showcase in Tasmania. Lonzo and LaMelo play the point guard position, and the eldest baller has shared some bits of wisdom about playing the position at the NBA level:
“Now it's just about making sure he's making the right play every time,” Lonzo said. “Right now I have him focusing on his turnovers. I know his first game [in the NBL] he had a couple more than I would like. But staying on the right path, listening to his coaches … He knows he's probably the most talented kid when he steps on the court but it's more than talent. Everyone has talent in the league.”
It seems LaMelo has what it takes to deliver in the NBA, and if he's doing more listening to his elder brother than he is to his dad, he could be a talent we talk about for the foreseeable future.